The Life of 


The Life of 

There are many small moments in life that the majority of those take for granted. Joey
Tanona was not one of those people. Every day was a new mission and a new goal for him. He
never took the small moments for granted. Joey was always present, and that was his greatest
gift from god. Joey is survived by his two sisters, Caitlin and Meggie, as well as his wife and
three children.

From his early days at Notre Dame, he always had a kind and compassionate heart.
Something he held close to his heart was being introspective and mindful. A quote he always
had in his wallet was, ”introspection can cloud our self-perceptions and unleash a host of
unintended consequences. Sometimes it may surface unproductive and upsetting emotions that
can swamp us and impede positive action. Introspection might also lull us into a false sense of
certainty that we’ve identified the real issue.” (The Right Way To Be Introspective by Tasha
Eurich PhD-Moreau FYE week six). From his time as the president of the Boys and Girls Club,
he was always mindful and took time to be with the kids and share lessons to be aware of their
mental health and how to look inward positively.

Following his time as the president of The Boys and Girls Club, Joey retired and then
became a volunteer for the Peace Corps. He traveled all over the world, helping those in need
of help. For Joey that was the most important thing in life was to help others. A rule he always
remembered for family is “Don’t Run With Scissors”(Tattoos On The Heart by Father Greg
Boyle- Moreau week seven)  He believed the meaning of life was to love others more than you
love yourself and to always help. While traveling the world, he found his future wife in Brazil
while promoting the conservation of the Amazon rainforest. They would go on to have three
children, two girls, and a boy.

For Joey, Family always came first, and he loved his family like no other. Joey wanted
his family to have the best relationship they could possibly have. He wanted his family to feel
loved and always wanted to be there for his kids. Joey wanted his kids to have what he didn’t
have growing up, which was a father present in their lives. Nothing in the world was more
important to him than his family.

His two sisters, Caitlin and Meggie, remember him as a protector and the man of the
house growing up. Joey’s mother was always working when he was little, and the three of them
had to learn to grow up and fast. Even though he was the youngest of the siblings, both of his
sisters looked up to him. They remember the time when they were very little, and Joey was
always feisty with the man his mother Kelly was dating. Joey would do anything to protect them
because he believed that was his reason to be on this planet, to protect others.

Joey was a great athlete, and it’s what most people remember him for. His mother
always wanted him to be a swimmer or a tennis player. Being anything but a football player
would’ve never worked for Joey because he was a gladiator at heart and loved fighting with his
brothers. In high school, he led Zionsville Community High School to two consecutive state

https://ideas.ted.com/the-right-way-to-be-introspective-yes-theres-a-wrong-way/
https://canvas.nd.edu/courses/39695/files/523981?module_item_id=167999


championships. He was a three-time varsity letterman, two-time all-state in football. In high
school, he also threw the shotput and discus going to state in both of his respective events.
Following his high school career, he accepted a scholarship to play football at the University of
Notre Dame.

During his time at Notre Dame, he learned valuable life lessons that would translate into
the rest of his life. He learned more about his faith and devoted himself to be a better catholic.
As a student-athlete, he learned to fight through adversity and to never give up. Joey learned
how to always apply himself and to always give his best effort no matter what he was doing. The
most valuable thing Joey learned at Notre Dame was how to work with others and how to lead
others and compel them to be at their best. While on campus, Joey was deeply involved in
community service and other service activities. He also learned that “The only way to know
more about yourself is to test the waters - just get out and experience life!”.(Navigating Your
Career Journey-Moreau FYE week four). He wanted to live life to the fullest and he understand
that death is inevitable which is why you have to live every day like it's your last he learned this
from Sister Alethia with her saying “ My life is going to end, and I have a limited amount of
time…We naturally tend to think of our lives as kind of continuing and continuing.” (Meet The
Nun Who Wants You To Remember You By Ruth Graham-Moreau FYE week three)

Following his time at Notre Dame, Joey entered the NFL draft. Joey was a nine-year
NFL veteran spending all of his time with the Miami Dolphins. During his time in the NFL, he
learned how to compete with the very best and never fear those who may be bigger, stronger, or
faster than him. He knew how to beat people with his mind and is remembered for being one of
the most football-smart players ever.

Joey’s life was marvelous, and he loved living every second of it. He tried to live to the
standard his great grandfather Albert Bendis lived. Joey thought Albert was a saint, and
rightfully so. Albert would ride his bike to mass every day in Wildwood Crest, New Jersey. For
thirty years, he never missed a single mass session. Albert loved his wife like nothing else. He
would always take care of her and do whatever it took to make her happy. Joey wanted to live
his life like him and would always ask himself, “what would Albert do”, in every situation he was
always in, he would ask himself that. He always knew how to take time and reflect a quote he
always remembered was  “The need for an empty space, a pause, is something we have all felt
in our bones; it’s the rest in a piece of music that gives it resonance and shape.” ( Why We
Need To Slow Down Our Lives by Pico Iyer- Moreau FYE week one). Joey believed Albert was
so similar to Father Hesburgh and took after him he sees Albert when he saw Father
Hesburgh’s Writings for example, “The problem of human rights is so universal that it
transcends all other problems that face humanity.” (Father Hesburgh- Moreau FYE week two)

How Did Joey want to be remembered? Joey wants to be remembered as a tall skinny
kid with shaggy hair from Zionsville, Indiana. He wants to be remembered as someone who
loved living life and, more importantly, loved those around him. He doesn’t want to be
remembered as some mythical creature who was a great football player. Instead, he wants to be
remembered as someone who had an impact on others’ lives and brought happiness into the
world. Joey lived life to the fullest. Every day was a new opportunity, every day, and he chose to
get up and be great. He will be remembered as someone who left his mark on the world and
never for one second looked back.

https://undergradcareers.nd.edu/navigating-your-career-journey---moreau/
https://undergradcareers.nd.edu/navigating-your-career-journey---moreau/
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/14/us/memento-mori-nun.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/14/us/memento-mori-nun.html
https://ideas.ted.com/why-we-need-a-secular-sabbath/
https://ideas.ted.com/why-we-need-a-secular-sabbath/
https://hesburgh.nd.edu/fr-teds-life/an-extraordinary-life/in-his-own-words/hesburgh-quotes/